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Isabella Grogan-Cannella was buried here. She'd been missing for days and the Bullhead City Police Department had gotten help from almost every agency you can think of: FBI, county sheriffs, even the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. They'd all searched the neighborhood, neighbors searched their own small backyards. There'd been no signs of forced entry, no sign of struggle. Isabella's sister had been home and never heard a thing. She'd gone to the bathroom and when she came back -- Bella was gone. So was her mom's friend Justin Rector.'Family Friend' Arrested for Murder of Arizona Girl Isabella Grogan-Cannella
First published September 4th 2014, 12:50 pm
NBC News

Early Thursday morning, Justin James Rector, 26, of Bullhead City, was arrested for kidnapping and first-degree murder, Bullhead City Police said.

On Wednesday, a shallow grave was discovered by a tracking unit with the Mohave County Search and Rescue Team near Chaparral and Newberry Drive in Bullhead City, which is close to Grogan-Cannella's home. The body has since been identified as the girl's, police said.http://www.mohavedailynews.com/laugh...9bb2963f4.html

On Tuesday, September 2nd at approximately 1:30 a.m., police were called to the 2400 block of Lakeside Drive. The residents there reported that 8-year-old Isabella Neveah Grogan-Cannella was not in her bed or anywhere in the residence. Police have been canvassing the neighborhood since early this morning and are still conducting numerous interviews.

Isabella is around 4'8" tall, approximately 80 to 90 lbs. with shoulder length dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a green ruffled sparkly tank top and dark colored shorts. She is also possibly barefoot.

According to a search warrant conducted on Sept. 4 by the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office at the girl’s home, detectives removed a number of computers, tablets and cell phones. They also seized soiled linens, clothing, a piece of a mattress and a bag of garbage.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 19. He federal public defender has been assigned to represent him.

Want to note something about an old article that was posted... Sometimes people that are displaced, on welfare, approved for HUD but housing isn't available, unemployed - the State puts those families up in low budget motels. That's where they'd live for extended periods of time, usually 6 months to a year before they have to apply again. I saw an HBO special documentary on this. It's very sad actually. One of the families stayed in a motel for something like 5 years or so, giving birth to a baby in there, as well as getting pregnant again. The documentary shows how children are growing up in these motels and forced to share a bed with several others and/or sleep on the floor. One segment also showed how children go to a free school for displaced children where all ages are taught at the same time. They explain the reason they do this is to keep at least one aspect of a child's life constant - which would be that classroom - while they move from shelters to motels to other motels and then finally a house.

Without saying too much or pointing fingers, I wouldn't be at all surprised to find out some of these main people surrounding Bella grew up this way. It is what leads me to wonder if Bella and her sister slept in bed with Ralphy & Tania.

Want to note something about an old article that was posted... Sometimes people that are displaced, on welfare, approved for HUD but housing isn't available, unemployed - the State puts those families up in low budget motels. That's where they'd live for extended periods of time, usually 6 months to a year before they have to apply again. I saw an HBO special documentary on this. It's very sad actually. One of the families stayed in a motel for something like 5 years or so, giving birth to a baby in there, as well as getting pregnant again. The documentary shows how children are growing up in these motels and forced to share a bed with several others and/or sleep on the floor. One segment also showed how children go to a free school for displaced children where all ages are taught at the same time. They explain the reason they do this is to keep at least one aspect of a child's life constant - which would be that classroom - while they move from shelters to motels to other motels and then finally a house.

Without saying too much or pointing fingers, I wouldn't be at all surprised to find out some of these main people surrounding Bella grew up this way. It is what leads me to wonder if Bella and her sister slept in bed with Ralphy & Tania.

Re the HBO special, I'll look for the link if anyone is interested.

Thanks for the info. Very sad to think that in a country that is as prosperous as USA, there are families living in those conditions. Canada does seem to care more for their low-income families, but it is far from ideal.

As to their living situation, I speculated upthread about the fact that by all reports, the living room is where the girls slept. It is also apparently where the suspect was staying. I have a feeling that it was the mattress from the living room that was tested for those specifically nefarious purposes.

I suspect that if he was on a meth run, he wasn't doing much sleeping.

As for why and how they took a piece of the mattress, I suspect they used a black light and cut out a section of the fabric top that tested positive for body fluids. They would know immediately if it was human blood, but the actual identification of what fluids take much longer and DNA extraction even longer. The purpose of this testing is obvious and routine when SA is suspected. It could turn out to be unconnected. They process every possible piece of evidence for due diligence.

What I can't fathom is, how is it LE knows there were drugs in the house, drugs being used in the house, and yet not a single *other* adult in this case that was in the house and/or responsible for those children, has been arrested? Child endangerment, neglect, abuse, obstruction of justice, false reporting... something? Anything?

So many laws broken, a little girl dead as a direct result... and only one person arrested or charged. I just can't wrap my head around this.

What I can't fathom is, how is it LE knows there were drugs in the house, drugs being used in the house, and yet not a single *other* adult in this case that was in the house and/or responsible for those children, has been arrested? Child endangerment, neglect, abuse, obstruction of justice, false reporting... something? Anything?

So many laws broken, a little girl dead as a direct result... and only one person arrested or charged. I just can't wrap my head around this.

I can't either. The way I see it, there are a few possibilities:

1. LE are still building a case against the adults, specifically parents, surrounding this case.

2. The adults are cooperating with LE on other matters, potentially making a deal to turn evidence on unrelated crimes.

3. LE are overwhelmed with the amount of drug issues in that community and are turning a blind-eye given that the adults are 'grieving'.

Given the amount of time it takes to determine forensic evidence, I am banking on option #1.

Perhaps in order to build a larger case, they require the continued cooperation of the parents and don't want to risk alienating them until said evidence is processed.

What I can't fathom is, how is it LE knows there were drugs in the house, drugs being used in the house, and yet not a single *other* adult in this case that was in the house and/or responsible for those children, has been arrested? Child endangerment, neglect, abuse, obstruction of justice, false reporting... something? Anything?

So many laws broken, a little girl dead as a direct result... and only one person arrested or charged. I just can't wrap my head around this.

I'm starting to think they are focusing on a conviction for Justin Rector. If they brought charges against the other adults it may make the case shaky and give an out for him. JMO

I'm starting to think they are focusing on a conviction for Justin Rector. If they brought charges against the other adults it may make the case shaky and give an out for him. JMO

With the pressure of no definite decision on whether or not there will be a death penalty sought, the powers that be have more chance of extracting a lot of information (am guessing) from JR. Keeping the focus on just him at this point is possibly their strategy. TG and RF 'not knowing' must be driving them batty...which helps in the long run MOO

o/t--wonder how RF's case/next court appearance is working out for him - couldn't find the minute entries for his 2nd arraignment hearing from last week at all.

On Sept. 4 nearly 100 items were removed from the home by police as evidence, according to the search warrant, including a pair of girls panties found on the exterior west wall of the home. Other items of clothing seized included a dark gray T-shirt with bleach stains found in an outdoor recycle bin, a black zip-up hoodie found in a trash container in the driveway of the home and a pair of blue jeans with a flower print found in a trash bag. Police also seized a white trash bag containing paper towels with brown stains, as well as all bed linens from Grogan-Cannella’s bed and a portion cut out of a mattress from inside the home.

Thanks for this, I was just comming to post it.
This is not looking good is it?
These are different clothes to the ones JJR wore before shoplifting at Walmart. If I remember correctly his muddy clothes were already found.
Also the underwear found on the exterior wall?